Machine Shop Help

Ok guys.
I just bought my new winter beater and part time small load hauler. I'd tell you what it was but I don't want to be beaten

Anyway I bought it knowing the head gasket might be blown. The other day I found some milky white substance on the inside of the oil cap and I think if the head gasket wasn't gone, it went in the 5-10 minute test drive I gave it before actually buying it.

My question is this: I have caleld around Manchester, NH and am thinking of either getting Manchester Engine or Sanels(they do head work in Concord) to plane the deck to take out any worpage and pressure check it. Is one place better than another? Is there anoth place I should take it to without braking the wallet? Right now Sanels is $5-$10 cheaper so it really doens't matter which one I go to. I just know I will not use Vermont engine after the problems I had with a rebuild(leaks and thermastat put in backwards) and other stories I heard after I got the rebuild done.

try DRG in hudson nh. dave is the owner and he does excelent work. the only problem with them is some times there is a waiting list for bigger projects. if all you want is the heads milled that usualy takes a day or two.

SANEL is a large parts store chain and has a decent reputationand will be there next month/year when and if there's any problem like some other brick and mortar shops. as far as buying a rebuilt/reman long block the odds of getting warranty or replacement are slim to none for 2 years I delivered these units to shops and private sales and the b/s that came along with it while working there my f-150 5.0 started running funny skipping and etc. so I asked one installers what he thought[my mistake for one opinion] and was told with 130k the cam was probaly soft so in went the ist engine after all I got a big discount well went to pick it up and they were puzzeled the way it ran but said take for a day or so and come back ya 50 miles later on a hook so they wacked the fuel regulater and instead of 33 lbs in the fuel rail it was at full pump pressure 85/100 gas washed the new block when they put in the SECOND reman they failed to read the notice to use the thinner torque converter bolts and back on the hook with a 1000 miles the pressure pushed out the thrust bearing the THIRD block made 27k till the crank snapped between 7 and 8 connecting rods andhad a 100 mile tow home NO. FOUR I'm happy to say is still running and up to 267k or about 100k plus so as meatloaf once sang TWO OUT OF THREE AIN'T BAD. long stoy short I ran into one of the ist job helper in a bar one day and he was well on his way and told me this" you know all that was wrong with the original eng was 3 injectors was clogged and that fuel rail came out of a junk yard the mechanic put your whole engine in his truck " use your machine shop. this is the moral of the story. at the time I was fortunate to absorb the 2/3 thousand worth of b/s otherwise I still be in jail for for my thoughts P.S. inow work for sanel"s competition just to make that known.

j.e.lacroix , I'm a bit confused. what exactly are you saying. Sanel messed up your motor and than 3 more before getting it correct?????

Vt Engine is in Williston VT, up neer Burlington. The motor did not die or anything on me but it did leak a little from day one and the thermostat was put in backwards. Luckily water was still able to go through it but the truck produced no heat and I had a cold ride from Burlington to Providence in Sept-Oct. When I got back home I talked to a friend and when we went to change the thermostat we found out it was in backwards and you could clearly see the arrow for rater flow. Turned it round and I had heat for the winter.

what I said is sanel has and still runs many part stores around vt&nh with a central machine shop and has been doing it for years. they seem to have a good name I work for their compitetion and have never heard a bad word about their machine shop. the engine problems I had were with a intaller in central mass and I worked for the co. that suppled the rebuilt engines, also I didn't mention earlier that I also worked for the engine rebuilder in their new england warehouse for a year. in regards of my personal engine deal you couldn't make a movie aboutwhat happened to me, it was so bizzare especially after working for them seeing how their warranty and labor claims worked I don't recommend them at all as far as the vt. engine I never heard of them even after being in the trade for a few years but it sounds like the same old story up there in williston as any where else the most reason the problem starts/comes about is the [three some rule] it dosen't work at home either . the problem starts when the engine install you just paid 2/3 grand for and something goes wrong. you blame the installer ,he blames the rebuilder and the rebuider blames the installer and you for beating on the new engine [break in time]. so around you go in the end they usually win cause their good at it they do it every day. once and a while they do follow through but don't wait for their help I hope this clears up any ? in what I said earlier john

I think I will be bringing it to Robbins in Manchester, unless someone has anything to tell me about them. I has a chat with the machine shop guy and I think I will give him a shot. He seemed to know his stuff(I know most guys at machine shops do tho) and he told me I could most likely get same day turn around.

good luck on your project. dealing with someone face to face and their reputation on the line seems to me to be more secure than dealing with a large outfit that puts out big numbers to turn a profit. if something comes up in the middle of your rebuild they can at least call you in for your opinion or investment. I had a jeep 4 cyl. 1946 cj2a rebuilt 10 years ago in a machine shop in woonsocket RI and knew some of the crew and it worked for me they called me in twice for questionable parts minor crack in the head [magifluxed] so got a second one although the first would of worked they gave me a chance to make it my choice and showed me the crack and soforth. could tell you how it runs cause its on the backburner since and have moved it twice still rapped in plastic and heated indoors. my this will be the year p.s. got a 50/54 1ton jeep p/u sitting on the car hauler and my kids 72 jeepster 4wd 401 a/t with a race cam in my way in the garage if anyone is interested john

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